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Show PAGE 39 THE ZEPHYR JUNE 1994 Dear Jimmy, In the May "Zephyr" you arrived at an erroneous conclusion about the truck traffic in ' Blanding that would result from transporting the mill tiffinp from Montiodlo to the uranium mill south of Blanding. According to the Department of Energy, a truck would go through Blanding every TWO minutes, not every TEN minntm as you iiitwi A DCS "Public Notice" states: "This haul would begin in the summer of 1995 and continue through 1997. The haul season would be from April through November and would not indude the winter months. Using the optimum truck haul scenario, the estimated truck traffic frequency on die highway would be one truck approximately every two minutes, 20 hours per day (or a total of 640 truck passes), with an estimated 6 million miles over the period. Overall traffic on Highway 191 would be expected to increase 25 to 30 percent" "For further information, call Audrey Berry, DOE Public Affairs at A footnote to the Blanding City Council's refusal of the offer to build a bypass around Blanding; They requested that the town be given the money that would have been spent an the bypass. Save Utah Wildlife, Wild Rivers & Wildlands 2-y- ear Sincerely, Owen Severance Manticello, Utah Vonl..dll...mt... "Jimmy. Join the UTAH WILDERNESS ASSOCIATION Campaign TO SAVE WILD UTAH Stiles, , I revisited Moab in and like everyone else am alarmed at the growth Moab is 1 undergoing. In 1981, partidpated in a 23 day course in Canyanlands National Park. Before the course, I remember sitting in Moab and thinking this is it, the last feeble remains of civilization. Upon arriving at the Canyanlands my first few thoughts were they shipped me to the moon and threw away my ticket for the return flight. The third morning I awoke before anyone else and looking out onto North Six Shooter was converted into a desert rat Hie desert fit me and I fit Suffice it to say that my love for the land has grown exponentially, and I write out of great . Ybull Receive: mid-March- . ft Regular Issue Updates, Alerts A Newsletter H Notice of Public Hearings, Fowms A Educational Programs Hi Invitations to the Annual Rendezvous, Socials A River Trips Since 1979y UWA has been Utah's Statewide it concern. There are many fine editorialsrebuttals and ongoings about such topics as tramways, highways, four wheelers, mountainbikers, town growth, and limiting said growth. One topic pervades aU of this and that is the surrounding desert around Moab is turning into an ecological nightmare. This spring I did my traditional get out the kinks ride to Hurrah Pass. I rode my bike up file Kane Creek road and witnessed a full out onslaught against the land. Brand new four wheel drive vehicles accompanied by dogs, and said owners clotted what appeared to be a grunge-fesPeople camping where they had no business being, cans and bottles everywhere, from what they must have thought were dead trees, but and young folks gathering alas were not. I gathered my senses and found at the end of the ride I had to get away from the prepubescent metropolis of Moab. I lit out to sit quietly, to where the stillness of the desert could envelope me and soothe my broken heart I drove about 15 miles out of town to one of my favorite spots and found, in addition to stillness, multiple fire rings, toilet paper, broken bottles, trampled cryptogamic soil everywhere. 1 was downright depressed, then angry that people of my own recreation were a great deal responsible for this damage. Now before you dismiss me as a self righteous, romantic zealot, I beseech you to hear me out, I for do have a plan. It may not be a good plan, it is a plan never the less. While in the 90's it seems trendy to sit on the sidelines, offer no constructive solutions and take random potshots ala ' Rush Limbaugh, here goes. Educate the masses!! Lets ride the current ecological mind set and clean-u-p Moab. Presently there is a smattering of information about environmental protection at the various shops. If a person is really industrious the Ranger Station offers some fine information cm low impact living. Unfortunately most people are not that industrious. Let us put the information directly into the hands of the people. At all the bikeshops, grocery stores, coffee houses, and gulp fern bars hand out garbage bags with cards attached explaining the fragile environment of which people are partaking. The list couki indude topics such as not using the trees for firewood, recycling, soil conservation, and nolow impact camping. People could bring their recydables to a center, and the profits could buy more bags with enviro-inf- o an them. Hey it's just an idea, and if folks have a better one lets do something before the desert rolls over and goes belly up. Environmental Organization. Enlist Yourself, Friends, Family and Allies to Support and Experience Utah's Natural Wild! Special Introductory Membership Sign up for only $10 (Save $15) t. fire-woo-d Sincerely, Name Street City, State, Zip, Phone. O Membership Fee $10 O Additional Donation $ are tax deductible East 400 South 306, Salt Lake City, UT 841 1 1 All donations Mail to: UWA-45- 5 n kJfe J Ls L f j ACTION i by SLICK 400 NORTH MAIN STREET 259-808- 6 (801-359-133- 7) Letters to Feedback should be sent by th 1 5th of the month to be considered for publication. Winners of the "Letter of the Month" receive a one year subscription. Write: The Zephyr, POD Mike Kohm Missoula, MT Bi-Mont-hly 327, Moab 84532 |